Sunday, 21 July 2013

Quiet and dry spell

What a scorcher of a week it has been. The mercury hit 31C here at one point and I have to say it certainly makes up for all those long, dark, cold winter days we have to work through. You certainly won't hear me complaining it's too hot!

The dry spell does mean though that we have to use the all-weather gallops as the turf ones are just too firm.
We only bought Hamble from Marco Botti's yard last week but he was race-fit on arrival, so we haven't wasted any time with him and he has been straight into work. I was glad with what I saw when he led Automotive and Silver Alliance on Saturday. All being well, he should be running in a couple of weeks for the revamped Hoofbeats Racing Club - details of which will follow soon.
Silver Alliance hasn't run since he won at Yarmouth in June but that's because I'm keeping him fresh for a valuable apprentice riders race at Glorious Goodwood next week. He is fresh and well so I am certainly looking forward to it.
Automotive has a big target too that same week as he heads back to the scene of his finest moment, Newbury, in the hope that he can notch up another win.

Silver Alliance (Julia), Automotive (Ross) & Hamble (Shelley)

We're not set to be too busy with runners this week with the firm ground and lack of suitable races keeping most of our horses at home.
The only pair that may be heading off in the horsebox are Believe In Me and Omega Omega at Bath on Thursday. The ground is set to be very firm but I reckon both will handle it fine.
Omega ran a career best when second at Yarmouth last time and I think the blinkers really helped her focus and travel better. She has the shades on again so hopefully they will work again too.
Believe In Me hasn't had many chances yet this season but she is going well at home and has a good attitude to her work so that always means a horse is more than capable of winning.

Believe In Me (Alfie) & Bethan (Annalie)

I can't believe how well The Ducking Stool has emerged from her latest win as usually she is very stiff in the following days but this time she has been moving very well and is very happy with herself. She heads to Pontefract in a couple of weeks time for a race she finished second in last year. Let's hope she can go one better this time.

The Ducking Stool (Billie)

All our foals seem to do is eat and sleep as they grow bigger everyday and hopefully nurture thoughts of becoming future champions but I managed to snap them having a rare energetic spell as they galloped across the field back to their mothers. It was neck and neck with nothing to choose between them which either means they are both superstars or both useless. I hope it's the former!

The foal race

Another youngster getting to grips with the game is our puppy Mary. She has started getting a bit more street-wise about the horses and doesn't run under their legs anymore. She also tries to give a hand with the mucking out as you can see!

Mary mucking in

Our apprentice jockey Shelley Birkett had another win at Epsom on Thursday evening and she is starting to catch the eye of quite a few people. She had a telephone interview with Attheraces and then the Racing Post wrote a good pieced on her in this Sunday's paper. All publicity is good publicity!